| The Rhineland is a historic source of contention between
Germany and France. In the Versailles Treaty that ended WWI, the Rhineland was the first
boundary that was redrawn so that it became under French control. Prior to WWI and the
Versailles Treaty, the Rhineland had belonged to Germany, and Hitler was determined to get
it back. In this spirit of determination, Hitler peacefully invaded the Rhineland in 1936.
The French were too embroiled in scandal to resist, and the British were reluctant to make
a decision, as the invasion was done on Saturday, when all the important British leaders
were away for the weekend. This invasion was significant because it was the first outright
violation of the Versailles Treaty, and the first instance of the appeasement policy
(championed by the British and French) toward Germany. |